SAMDANI QURESHI AQLAAL

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About Us

About Us

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The simple choice for
complex disputes and transactions

SAMDANI QURESHI AQLAAL (SQA) is an amalgam of two boutique law firms named “Samdani and Qureshi” and “AQLAAL Advocates”.

With a combined experience of over 50 years in niche areas of law, both firms joined hands in January 2023 to serve the clients with a diversified experience that the team brings under the Firm’s name.

The Firm is also an exclusive collaborating firm in Pakistan of Andersen Global, enabling us to serve our clients even better with the Firm’s immediate global outreach through Andersen Global.

Samdani and Qureshi (formerly Walker Matrineu Saleem) was founded in 1989 by the late Justice K.M,.A Samdani and Barrister Farrukh Qureshi.

AQLAAL Advocates was formed in 2001 by Barrister Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan (now serving as an Hon’ble Judge of the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad).

The Firm carries the legacy of stellar leadership of legal minds like Justice K.M.A. Samdani, Justice MSH Quraishi, Justice Fazl-e-Karim, and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan.

SQA’s principal office operates from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, and we have correspondence offices in all major cities in Pakistan and have an international outreach through our collaborating firms outside Pakistan.

Our priority is to deliver expert and efficient services without compromising on cost-effectiveness. We take pride in the confidence put in our professional handling of matters by our clients.

Our experienced attorney are ready
to answer any questions

Farrukh Karim Qureshi

Senior Partner

Nudrat Piracha

Partner

Azm Ali

Partner

Meet the Team

Farrukh Karim Qureshi​
Barrister at Law
Advocate High Court of Pakistan
Senior Partner

Mr. Qureshi has been involved in international arbitrations before the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris (ICC), International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”), Washington, the Arbitration Institute of Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and Ad Hoc Tribunals.

He specializes in construction/engineering and public-private partnership contracts, project finance, securitization, corporate, constitutional, arbitration, human resource policies, public-private partnerships, and advisory work.

Besides leading one of the premier ADR practices in Pakistan for 35 years, he has acted as counsel to the Government of Pakistan, multinational organizations, banks, diplomatic missions, and others.

Nudrat Piracha
SJD, George Washington University
Advocate High Courts
Partner

Dr. Piracha has extensive experience in International Commercial Arbitration and International Construction & Investment Disputes. She has worked as counsel in ADR and arbitration before ICC, ICSID, SCC, DFIC-LCIA, and Adhoc Tribunals. She is also serving as a member of a committee constituted by the prime minister to consider Pakistan’s investment legal framework and international law.

Her qualification in three international jurisdictions (Pakistan, US, and the UK), and over seventeen years of experience in ADR, mediation, negotiation, arbitrations, and affiliations with the world’s most prestigious organizations provide her with a vast network of expertise and experiences to draw upon.

She believes there’s immense potential for social and political change in Pakistan through legal reforms and that lawyers can play a vital role in developing any country. Her dedication to this purpose is evident in her continual hard work at SQA.

Azm Ali
MA (Pol. Sc.), LL.B (Gold) Punjab University
Advocate High Court
Partner

Azm’s transactional practice focuses primarily on corporate/ commercial matters and infrastructure/PPP projects. He has worked on/ lead the following notable assignments. He graduated in law by securing the first position in LLB and two gold medals from the Punjab University:

1) Project counsel from 2014 to till date for 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project, Rawalpindi, Pakistan with a total project cost of approx. US$ 1.8 billion; Project achieved financial closing in February 2017 and COD in June 2022

2) Intermittent advises to 1124 MW Kohala Hydropower Project (LOS stage) and 590 MW Mahl Hydropower Project (LOI stage) from 2015 to till date on various project-related matters

3) Legal counsel for the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization on transaction structuring for the supply of electricity to the industrial areas/economic zones from its hydropower projects. The assignment kicked off in March 2024.

4) Transaction counsel for the Bank of Khyber in relation to the refinancing of approx. 1 billion financing facility for the Heavy Electrical Complex in connection its privatization; transaction achieved completion in January 2024

5) Project Counsel for the Government of Sindh in relation to the financial closing of a public private partnership water supply project (approx. 60 km) from Nabisar to Vajihar in Sindh with total project cost of approx. US$ 190 million; concession agreements were executed in June 2021 and financing documents executed in November 2021 followed by the amendments of the concession agreements and financing agreements and achievement of financial closing in December 2023

6) Local counsel for two (2) separate transactions entailing transfer of shares of China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited (CSAIL) in 2022 and 2023 respectively; advise on shareholding structure, preparation of amendments in the shareholders and other transactions agreement and compliance under the local laws and project agreements of the CSAIL’s projects in Pakistan

7) Transaction counsel in relation to the transfer of regulated tower assets with worth of around PKR 9 billion from one licensee to another; preparation of transaction documents; completion achieved in 2022

8) Preparation of NEPRA (Microgrid) Regulations, 2022

9) Counsel for a borrower in relation to the financing facilities of approx. Rs. 4.3 billion availed by a telecom company for its tower business in July/August 2022
10) Counsel for a borrower in relation to the financing facilities of approx. Rs. 1.24 billion availed by a telecom company for its tower business in July/August 2021

11) Counsel for a borrower in relation to the financing facilities of approx. Rs. 4 billion availed by a real estate company for its multipurpose real estate project in Islamabad in August/September 2021

12) Preparation of AEDB (Certification) Regulations, 2021

13) Counsel for the Alternative Energy Development Board, Government of Pakistan (AEDB) in relation to the financial closing of four (4) solar PV power projects with total cost of approx. US$ 150 million and cumulative capacity of 250 MW in February 2021

14) Preparation of RFP documents for the reverse auction (first of its kind in Pakistan) for wind and solar projects in Pakistan with industry consultations in 2020/2021

15) Counsel for AEDB in relation to the financial closing of twelve (12) wind power projects with total cost of approx. US$ 800 million and cumulative capacity of 610 MW in November 2019

16) Assisting AEDB in preparation and finalization of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019

17) Preparation of wheeling framework (first of its kind in Pakistan) for sale of electricity from 18 MW Pehur Hydropower Project to the industrial consumers of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2019/2020

18) Advising a Chinese bank in relation to the breach of financing agreements of three (3) solar power projects (100 MW each) in Pakistan and preparation of default notices and rectification documents in 2018/2019

19) Preparation of AEDB (Certification) Regulations, 2018

20) Counsel for AEDB in relation to the financial closing of two (2) solar power projects (10 MW and 18 MW) in 2016

21) Project counsel for two small hydro power projects (6 MW and 11 MW) in Pakistan in 2016

22) Preparation of standardized package of concession agreements (Implementation Agreement, Energy Purchase Agreement and the Water Use Agreement) for small hydropower projects (up to 25 MW) in Pakistan in light of upfront tariff determined by NEPRA in 2015

23) Preparation of green paper on wheeling of electricity in Pakistan for the Punjab Power Development Board in 2014/2015